It started innocently enough...

[pscook]

"I'll just pop off the plastics for a good cleaning, check a few things out."




In preparation for the meet-n-greet this weekend I figured I should polish up the old gem a little. Well, as some of you know, it takes a bit to properly get into the corners on these things. One thing led to another, and $75 from All Balls and $50+ from McMaster-Carr later, plus a spare rear fender from eBay and an order from GoFasters, I'm elbow deep into a refresh. I swear I was just going to wash it. Damn those lip seals on the swingarm bearings!

My goal is to not muck it up enough to miss the ride this weekend. I'll post up my results as they happen. It might be midnight on Saturday, but I will get this bird back in the air (figuratively speaking).

 

[pscook]

As an aside, I had an issue with the gear box drain plug this weekend. I changed the fluid but didn't start the engine and check for leaks. After a 50 mile ride I noticed heavy staining and fresh gear fluid dripping. Crush washer was in there, but it was quite stuck. I popped it out but I don't know where it went. It was really stuck in there.

Here's the question- When you drain your gear box fluid, does your washer get stuck in the recess? Do you have an oring around the drain plug? Has anyone ever had a drain plug not seat properly?

 

[twowheels]

Here's the question- When you drain your gear box fluid, does your washer get stuck in the recess? Do you have an oring around the drain plug? Has anyone ever had a drain plug not seat properly?

That's a nice little project you've got going there ... heh!

To your question, sometimes yes, sometimes no. In a perfect world the crush washer would come out with the plug and you would replace it every time. Instead the recess appears to be undersized and it traps the washer ... and if it does this the washer likely hasn't had the opportunity to flatten enough and it leaks

 

[Jakobi]

My crush washer on the drain has always stayed with the engine. The one on the fill point I can easily remove.

 

[GasGas]

Mine stays with the cases too. But I replace the crush washer a couple times a season and the plug every year.

 

[pscook]

This is the first time that I have experienced a leak, I don't know what I did wrong/different. I ordered a bag of washers from McMaster along with some skinny orings to see if I can squeeze another sealing method into the system. It's the not knowing that bothers me. Not enough fluid leaked to damage anything, I got more than 500ml out of the case but I can't say if I got all 900ml that I put in to begin with. Probably lost less than 100 total.

 

[GMP]

I use teflon orings for the drain and fill plugs, from McMaster carr. I listed the part# here somewhere. They crush down flat to a perfect snug fitting washer, and can be reused several times easy. No loosening problems either, been using these for a few years now.

 

[bowhunter007]

Dang Phil, your bike looks like my '03, with the exception...I still need to finish the engine teardown(I'm not ready to order parts yet). I'm still debating the whole modern transformation thing, or retain the O.E.M. look. I hope you put that thing back together, for this weekend. I'd even allow to see you show, with the nephew's bike

 

[pscook]

I use teflon orings for the drain and fill plugs, from McMaster carr. I listed the part# here somewhere. They crush down flat to a perfect snug fitting washer, and can be reused several times easy. No loosening problems either, been using these for a few years now.

Dangit! I already submitted my McMaster order. I'll look for the oring and see if they can add it in.

 

[pscook]

Dangit! I already submitted my McMaster order. I'll look for the oring and see if they can add it in.

Found it!
http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showpost.php?p=61997&postcount=7

 

[hannesd]

I use teflon orings for the drain and fill plugs, from McMaster carr. I listed the part# here somewhere. They crush down flat to a perfect snug fitting washer, and can be reused several times easy. No loosening problems either, been using these for a few years now.

haven't you ever had one come loose with teflon orings?
since you can't really tighten them very hard...

 

[PEB]

I use a rubber one from the plumbing dept. It has been on there for 10+ oil changes. Sure wish my 07 had the nickle frame, I loved the frames on my older GG's.

 

[Moto7man]

Thats usually how my projects start as well. I just can't help myself. Btw, my crush washer always stays with the cases. I am also using some ant-seize on the aluminum magnitized torx drain plug. Does anyone know of a magnitized non torx steel/or aluminum drainplug? I want something that isn't so prone to strip out but I like the pick up properties of the magnitized plug. I'm running a Scorpion Skid plate so I'm not worried about the drain bolt protruding under the cases a bit.

 

[GMP]

What did I say, no loosening. Its a 2mm oring and compresses down over 50%, with over a turn of resistance past initial contact. Believe me I tested it well on only the fill plug first. Just tighten it down with a "T" handle until it starts to flex and your good. Before that I did like Paul suggests and used the same size BunaN orings. Worked fine, but flowed a little too much, sometimes being forced out. If size was adjusted slightly that would be solved. Teflon is a lot better though.

 

[StuJohnson]

Thats usually how my projects start as well. I just can't help myself. Btw, my crush washer always stays with the cases. I am also using some ant-seize on the aluminum magnitized torx drain plug. Does anyone know of a magnitized non torx steel/or aluminum drainplug? I want something that isn't so prone to strip out but I like the pick up properties of the magnitized plug. I'm running a Scorpion Skid plate so I'm not worried about the drain bolt protruding under the cases a bit.

I have this one installed and has magnet and small hole for tie wire.
But mine is orange since for a KTM
http://www.zeta-racing.com/body/drain_bolt/

 

[Moto7man]

Thats nice. Do you know if that is the right size for the Gassers?

 

[pscook]

Thats nice. Do you know if that is the right size for the Gassers?

It looks like the right size if you go KTM. 12 dia by 12 depth, just the pitch is questionable. I can check tonight. My concern would be the shoulder properly fitting into the 16 (15.98, probably)mm counterbore. I wondered why GG put a flush bolt head in a recessed area that was protected by 1" diameter tubing. I would suspect that anything that could knock off a protruding bolt in that area would probably damage much more than just that one little bolt.

Oh, and McMaster added the teflon o-rings into the order, moments before it shipped. I'll report how I like them (as I'll have enough for the life of this bike and the next ).

 

[noobi]

Drain bolt is the same as KTMs, taken them out of my KTM and put them into my gasgas to confirm.

M12x12 1.5mm pitch

 

[Moto7man]

Thanks for the info!

 

[StuJohnson]

Thats nice. Do you know if that is the right size for the Gassers?

I have had it installed in my 2012 300 -- No problems at all.

Here is the exact one I bought from local shop for $6.95